


Blood Is Thicker Than Water

by gatepromise



Category: The Big Valley
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-05
Updated: 2013-09-05
Packaged: 2017-12-25 16:26:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/955271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gatepromise/pseuds/gatepromise
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Heath meets more of his family. It doesn't go well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blood Is Thicker Than Water

" I received a telegram today", Victoria Barkley informed her family at their evening meal gathering. "My sister Lilibeth is coming from Denver to visit. And Hiram, too, of course."

 

All around the table, the normally voracious eating habits of the Barkley men ceased in mid scoop, mid slice, and mid chew, and even the less hungry Audra put down the tea cup she was about to sip from.

 

"Er. That's nice, Mother." Nick was the first one to speak, and the forced politeness and obvious insincerity of his words caused Heath to swivel his head to stare at his brother. Since when did Nick lie to be polite about anything?

 

Victoria looked at her middle son and rolled her eyes. "Oh, be quiet, Nick. I know how you feel about your uncle, but two weeks out of every three years, you can suffer through a visit from my family."

 

"When are they coming?"

 

"Thursday".

 

"Great. That's when Heath and I made plans to go on that cattle buying trip anyway."

 

"We did?", Heath queried in puzzlement. "When did we plan that?"

 

Nick said nothing, but Heath immediately felt the heavy and unmistakable weight of his brother's booted-and-spurred foot bearing down on his own under the table, and the glare he was on the receiving end of spoke volumes. Oops.

 

"No one's going anywhere, Mother", the diplomatic eldest brother of the Barkley clan interjected, hoping to diffuse the game of violent footsie going on between his younger brothers while simultaneously hoping the intensity of his mother's scowl wouldn't increase. "We'll all be here with you. And you know we're all very fond of Aunt Lilibeth."

 

"That we are", Audra agreed with forced perkiness.

 

"She's not the problem", Nick muttered, and this time earned a light kick on the shin from his mother.

 

"That's enough out of you", Victoria warned him.

 

"What's this all about, anyway?", Heath asked, curiosity over the behavior of the family he'd joined less than eight months ago beating out his normal tendency towards holding his tongue. "What's wrong with a visit from family?"

 

"Aunt Lilibeth's a lovely lady, Heath. Quiet, like you. She's always been very kind to us." This was Audra, who apparently had inherited some of Jarrod's desire to smooth the ruffled feathers at the end of the table that their mother and middle brother sat at.

 

"Yeah, it's all true, Heath. Mother's sister is nice and always sends Christmas presents like ascots and silk cloths to blow our noses on. That's real nice and appreciated", Nick raised his voice and put up a hand in the hopes of staving off another kick from his mother. "But her husband is kind of…well he talks sort of….he's very small and drinks a lot and has never worked a day in his life."

 

Victoria slapped the table with her palm while adding in the most dry and straight faced manner, "Yes, and Nick doubts his personal mating preferences too."

 

Good thing no one had been taking a swallow of anything at that moment, because there likely would have been much choking and spewing at the table. Nick barked out a scandalized "Mother!', Audra covered her mouth in shock, and the fork Jarrod had been holding poised over his plate clattered into it.

 

Only Heath, new to the constant crisis and rumors of such that was the day to day life of the Barkley clan, was unaffected by this tiny, gracious lady he'd come to love and think of as Mother, and her unexpected earthiness. He reached for another slice of bread from the basket while doing his best to hide his smirk. That's it? Boy howdy, wouldn't that be a scandal bigger 'n' me….

 

Aloud, he said only, "Takes all kinds to make a world."

 

It wasn't until after dinner, when things had quieted down again and the family had retired to the billiard room, that Heath got some answers. Victoria explained to him that Lilibeth was her younger sister, 12 years her junior, and had married at the ripe old age of 33. The union, after over 20 years of marriage, had never produced children. Victoria also glared at the intemperate Nick, almost daring him to offer his opinion as to why that might be. Her husband, Hiram, was just as Nick said: Tiny, squirrily, a man who loved sherry and wine and brandy and was not particularly fond of getting his hands dirty in an honest day's work, which right there earned Nick's utter contempt. Or as Nick himself so succinctly put it, "Even our fancy pants lawyer brother, who I'm soundly beating at pool at the moment, helps on the ranch on the weekends, exercises those muscles between his ears every time he does the books, and puts in as many hours of work of one kind or another as the rest of us."

 

Nick had quite a mouth on him tonight,that was for sure.

 

Hiram Collins was the sole heir to a railroad inheritance, and had traveled back east when the iron horse was still a novelty, meeting Lilibeth and marrying her, moving them out west to the city of Denver. He'd made some wise investments and was a fine provider for Lilibeth, but he didn't endear himself to many men due to his nasal voice and effeminate mannerisms, lack of social graces, and his milquetoast relationship with Lilibeth, least of all the rough and tumble Barkley men. Victoria admitted that Heath's father Tom had not been overly endeared to the man either, calling him lazy and someone who rested on his laurels. For although he seemed to have great luck in investments, he was a hands-off businessman, one who simply hired men to work for him and then collected the returns. Tom Barkley hadn't believed that Hiram Collins had actually earned anything by the sweat of his brow in his life.

 

"Quite frankly, Heath, no one's very fond of Hiram. He has a knack for saying just the wrong thing at the wrong time and then reacting as though incredulous and victimized when people are offended. But he is married to my sister and they do seem to come as a pair. I guess it works for them."

 

"Are they coming on business, Mother?"

 

"No, actually, I think…well, I think they're coming to meet you."

 

"Oh, boy…"

 

"No, don't be nervous, sweetheart. You're going to find there's a lot of family who you'll be introduced to for the first time over the next few years. My sister knows how you came to be a part of this family and she knows that we love you. I'm sure it will all be fine."

 

"Well, you're probably right. Hiram sounds like he just doesn't mesh well with people."

 

"Hmph. Just wait until you meet him." This from Nick, who was lining up another shot at the billiards table.

 

"Yes, brother Nick. After all, not everyone has your charm and grace with people", Jarrod teased.

 

Nick turned and growled at his older brother, and then neatly sank the final eight-ball. "That's it, I'm done." He tossed his cue stick on the table with a flourish. "Pay up, Pappy, and then I'm going to bed. The rest of you good people can defend Hiram until the cows come home, which I know from experience won't take that long."

 

Nick pocketed his winnings from Jarrod, kissed his mother and sister goodnight, and gave Heath's shoulder a light slap as he walked out on his way to the stairs and his room for the night. It wasn't long afterward that the rest of the family retired to their own rooms for the night as well.

 

~~~~~~~~

 

Heath couldn't sleep.

 

It was rare indeed that he suffered from sleeplessness. The hard physical labor he engaged in daily virtually guaranteed that he slept well, whether it be in his own big bed in his own room in the family mansion or on the ground under the stars on a cattle drive.

 

He was more annoyed at not being able to sleep than anything. He really needed his rest to ensure his capability on the range. But try as he might, sleep wouldn't come. He had a thousand thoughts running through his mind that wouldn't settle…and he was really tired and really needed to settle.

 

Tonight's restlessness reminded him of his first few weeks with his new family. There had been plenty of times during that period that Heath had wondered if he'd done the right thing in coming to the Barkley ranch and revealing Tom Barkley's indiscretion, resulting in Heath's birth. He had realized, in quiet moments lying awake in this new bedroom, that his presence and what he represented must have hurt the lady he had come to admire and respect very quickly. Victoria Barkley had held her head high despite what he represented, and accepted him more readily than any of her own offspring. It had been easy to love her, and while not quite so easy, to think of her as Mother. Heath Barkley had vowed within a month of meeting her, that for the rest of his days, he would do his best to protect, defend, and make proud his newfound second mother.

 

The adjustments he'd had to make in those early days had kept him awake many a night. There were lessons in table manners from Audra, ("What do you mean I can't wear my napkin there? What good will it do in my lap?"), and in the use of a formal silverware table setting, ("All of this for one meal? For one setting? Growing up, we didn't have this much silverware in the entire house.") And then there were the new suits of clothes that Victoria had ordered for him, including a formal tailcoat and ruffled shirt for the occasion of Audra's birthday. And Christmas, where everyone, including Heath, got a dozen expensive gifts, all wrapped up in fine paper and ribbons his Mama would never have been able to afford, never mind the gifts themselves. There were train trips to upscale, expensive restaurants in San Francisco and Sacramento, where meals for a family of five cost more than what he and his mother had spent for food in more than a year. Heath was actually appalled by the waste in that; it had seemed almost sinful and obscene to someone like himself, so used to scraping by for so long, and he had no idea what Audra was talking about when she'd tried to explain that in addition to the food, which they had plenty of already, they were paying for the service and the ambience as well. When Jarrod took the family to a steakhouse one evening to celebrate a courtroom victory. Heath had even expressed his confusion to Nick, his absolute incomprehension as to why they'd want to buy beef from somewhere when their own Barkley beef was the most succulent in all the valley; plentiful and theirs whenever they wanted a good steak. Nick had simply shrugged his shoulders and muttered that high falootin' restaurants weren't his idea of a good time either. Nick hadn't really been able to wholly understand why Heath was feeling the way he was, or why, but he had at least sympathized.

 

The truth was that even as he grew to care for and then to love this new family of his, he knew there would always be things that would set him apart from them. They had no idea what it was like to be cold, or hungry, or without shoes, or to grow up without a father, and to hear the ugly words that came with that. His father and stepmother had earned their wealth, and worked hard, and the family didn't take it for granted, but they also had no comprehension what it was like to be without it.

 

But Heath did.

 

He'd come to appreciate and love his family, all of them, and to feel humbled by their acceptance and love for him, the fact that they cared about how he was feeling physically and otherwise, worried about him if he was delayed, included him in their prayers and their jokes. Nick had become a partner and a friend, and the same man so up in arms and ready to pop a blood vessel when he'd learned Heath's identity was now his most staunch defender and supporter. They had bonded over shared hard work and their commitment to the ranch and the family, and now the two men were nearly inseparable. 

When Nick loved, he loved fiercely and passionately, and Heath had come to know, in a very short amount of time, the depth of caring his impetuous , volatile brother was capable of.

 

And then there was Victoria—his "Mother", now. The beautiful, tiny lady made of iron and steel, who commanded all by the sheer force of her personality, and yet was as comforting, gentle, and as loving a presence as his own mother had been. She had a way of looking at him at times, with a faraway expression of bittersweet happiness, that made him think she was thinking of her late husband, the father he had never known. He'd been told he resembled his father a great deal, part of the reason he had been accepted into the family far more readily than he'd expected. He was both saddened and comforted by that knowledge, and always grateful that he could be so blessed as to have two such unique and loving women to call mother in one lifetime.

 

And Jarrod and Audra, his eldest brother and little sister, one whom he admired for his integrity and compassionate intelligence, the other whom he adored for her spitfire and sass. One whom he turned to for his calm intuition, sound advice and unwavering principals, the other he delighted in for her tomboyishness tempered with her gentle empathy.

 

His family. Heath supposed that being expected home by a certain hour every day, washed and shaved and shined and ready to graciously greet and socialize with visiting dignitaries, politicians, cattle barons and new found relatives, was a small price to pay for all he'd gained. He was a naturally quiet and reticent loner, and he didn't always know what to say in situations that called for small talk (something else he and Nick had in common), but for Victoria Barkley and the rest of his family, he would make the effort.

 

Even if worrying over being "presented" once again, to yet another old friend of the Barkleys or another relative he'd had yet to meet, was causing him to lose sleep.

The truth was, for as much as he loved his family and still found himself at times feeling undeserving of his acceptance in it, he found himself also having to be very patient and forgiving with their lack of perspective. It never seemed to occur to anyone just how embarrassing, almost painful, these little meet and greet soirees were for him, nor did it ever occurred to the rest of the Barkley family that the cultured Barkley lifestyle, and all the wealth that entailed, sometimes made this man who had grown up in a two room shack, feel like a fish out of water.

 

Thus, the insomnia.

 

Somehow, despite what Nick says, I feel sorry for this Hiram fellow.

 

Heath Barkley had no idea just how differently he'd be thinking in a short amount of time, but for now he decided he'd give the man the benefit of the doubt. He wasn't one to judge people before he'd even met him.. He punched his pillow and tried to find a comfortable position for his weary body and hyperactive mind, and waited for sunrise.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The awkwardness and the problems started even before Lilibeth and Hiram arrived.

 

Mother had Nick and Heath come in from work at 2:00 in the afternoon, wash, put on clean shirts, and join her, Jarrod and Audra at the train platform for the arrival of her sister and brother in law. Nick had earned several sharp rebukes from Victoria for voicing his opinion about that, and for describing in detail all the work that needed to be done around the ranch. Heath could sense their mother was not amused and was not seeing that Nick was only teasing her, and finally told Nick, as they rode along behind their mother’s carriage, to be quiet. "I didn't think I'd ever say this in my life, but I think Mother is nervous about this". Nick had responded by sulking the rest of the trip into town.

 

It seemed that Heath Barkley was finding himself right in the middle of family politics, and he didn't know what the politics were. He was still meeting the family, in fact.

 

And then Aunt Lilibeth was stepping off the train, and the lovely lady he now called his mother was hugging her tightly and laughing, and suddenly looking much younger, and for a moment, just a moment, Heath forgot about his own misgivings and was just happy for her and her sister.

 

Even Nick seemed to forget who he was and was sweet and polite and smiling and saying the right things. Audra and Jarrod each gave their aunt a kiss and warm hug and welcomed her to Stockton, and then it was Heath's turn.

 

"Lilibeth, this is my son, Heath. Heath, I would like you to meet my sister, your Aunt Lilibeth."

 

"Pleased to meet you, Ma'am." Hat in his hand, just as Leah Thomson had always taught him, Heath gave the petite woman a shy smile and bent to give her cheek a quick peck.

 

"Hello, Heath."

 

The woman looked at him with open curiosity for a moment, and Heath began to sense that all eyes of his family were upon them. Was it his imagination, or did they all seem to be holding their breath?

 

Lilibeth seem to come to some conclusion because in the next moment, she patted Heath's chest and said to Victoria, "Oh, he is a handsome one, isn't he. And mannerly. And his looks are unmistakably Barkley. Yes, sister, he's surely a Barkley."

 

Heath said nothing. Had there been some doubt? Again?

 

Victoria and Heath's eyes met for the briefest of moments, and then she addressed her sister. "He's mine now, too, Lilibeth, and I wouldn't have it any other way. "

 

Heath felt his face heating and ducked his head, but not before Nick had caught his eye and actually winked at him. And he'd seen Jarrod nod his agreement, too.

 

Sometimes, even being embarrassed in this family wasn't so bad.

 

"Mother, shall we gather the luggage…?"

 

"Oh, you call her mother, too? Well that's rather cute, isn't it. How did you manage to get her to agree to that, anyway? Oh, that is right, your own mother is no longer living. That's too bad, but it worked out well, didn't it. Victoria, you are an exceptionally forgiving woman and I admire you so for that. How are you holding up under the strain? Not many people would be able to accept a living reminder of such a grievous embarrassment, but you hold your head high. You always do. Yes, extraordinary, really. Young man, I certainly hope you appreciate the honor that's been bestowed upon you by this fine lady and her children, though one cannot really blame you for wanting your piece of the pie. And a juicy slice it is. "

 

That's a lotta words. And he hasn't even gotten off the train yet.

 

The small man with a too-big bow tie and not enough hair made his way down the stairs of the train to the waiting family.

 

Heath could see Nick roll his eyes and the nice smile Nick had been wearing in an effort to appease his mother's wishes for his aunt's arrival, faded away. "Hi, Hiram." "Hey" "Hello." All of the Barkleys offered polite greetings.

 

And even Victoria's face held an expression he'd seen her wear only a few times. A fixed, cool exterior that masked a myriad of other feelings just below the surface.

 

"Heath, my sister's husband, Hiram."

 

"Hello, sir." Heath offered his hand and the other man's clammy, limp appendage briefly touched his.

 

Heath wished he'd followed Nick's example and kept his gloves on.

 

"Welcome to the family! Heath is a rather unusual name, isn't it. I've never heard it before. Makes one sound like they're lisping when they say it sometimes, I should think. Well, you and I are going to be good friends, I'm certain. We must stick together, after all. I guess it's you and me who aren't really family members but by honorary means. Isn't that right. Though a fine family it is, isn't it."

 

As was his custom, Heath said nothing when the man paused for breath. Neither did anyone else.

 

"Well, it is just so much hotter here than in Denver. I really do need to get out of this heat. I'm not feeling all that well, I'm afraid. I must rest. Travel really can be such a trial. I'm not that young anymore, after all. " The man gave a nervous giggle that reminded Heath somehow of an early morning woodpecker. He was still rambling while Nick, Jarrod and himself loaded the carriage with Hiram and Lilibeth's many and varied trunks and valises, and then begged off joining the family in town for lunch. Lots and lots of work to do back at the ranch and the office, wasn't there.

 

This time, Mother didn't even look upset when Heath and Nick cut out of their "Entertain the relatives" duties. And he noticed that she gave his arm a quick squeeze when he kissed her and told her he'd see her later at home, and then followed Nick in his escape.

 

It was one of the few times awkward silence with Nick existed. They were half way home without a word spoken between them when Nick finally looked at his brother, sighed and reminded Heath "I told you he was an idiot."

 

"I don't know, Nick. He said some things I didn't like, but I promised myself when Mother told us about him that I'd give him a chance. Some people don't know what to say, so the wrong things can come out without their meanin' it to".

 

"No, don't you go feeling sorry for him." Nick's voice was now devoid of the sarcastic mocking that had been present whenever they had talked of Hiram and his impending arrival that week. "Some people say things they don't mean because they're nervous, but he's nervous all the time, and most of what he says has an edge to it. Or maybe you didn't notice, just now."

 

"I noticed. Can't say as I like him right off, but maybe he's just insecure and coverin' with conversation. City folks are often like that."

 

"He's an idiot." Nick ended the discussion by lightly swatting Coco with the reigns and picking up the pace. Heath had no choice but to follow.

 

~~~~~~~~

 

Nick did tend to be a good judge of character, usually.

 

The weeks ahead that would mean entertaining the relatives loomed large and long.

 

Heath had just about had more than his share of being embarrassed this day, there was no doubt about that.

 

After losing the couple of hours spent greeting their relatives from Colorado, Nick and Heath had returned to work with a vengeance. They really weren't using it as an excuse not to socialize; at least, that's what they'd told their mother and each other. There was always an abundance of work to be done; this was, after all, a working ranch. They weren't being impolite when they returned to the barn directly after dinner, in the relatively cooler night air, to finish fixing some bent branding irons.

 

Shirtless, the two men sweated over the forge and shared little conversation as they pounded the molten steel into shape. Branding season was almost upon them. It wasn't a convenient time for distractions. Especially named Hiram. Mother's sister knew enough about ranching to know that a working ranch's workload rose and fell with the turn of the seasons.

 

Heath wondered at the timing of the visit as his anvil clanged. Odd timing, that much was certain.

Then again, maybe he was just being influenced by the general bad attitude of the family towards Hiram. Maybe Hiram was just socially backward, and didn't mean any harm…

.

Nah. I'm afraid in this instance Nick is right, though I'll be danged if I'll ever admit that out loud to him.

 

Heath's mouth quirked at his own inner joke.

 

"You must be thirsty. I've brought some lemonade."

 

Heath's head shot up. He hadn't even heard Lilibeth enter the barn. Now here she was, standing in front of him with a tray of glasses and a pitcher, and he was bare chested and covered in sweat before a lady he didn't even know well, his mother's sister.

 

Hastily, he grabbed his shirt and shrugged into it.

 

Nick seemed to find Heath's bashfulness amusing. Far less hastily, he took up his own shirt and draped it over one shoulder.

 

"Hi, Lilibeth. Yes, a cool drink would be great about now, thanks." Nick happily accepted the offering.

 

"Thank you kindly, Ma'am." Heath took a long draught from the glass she handed him. It was tart, just the way he liked it. Just the way Mother made it for him.

 

There was an awkward silence while everyone looked at each other and tried to think of something conversational.

 

"Um…you're both blacksmiths, then?" Lilibeth made a gallant attempt.

 

"No, no." Nick laughed quietly, easily. " We're cattlemen. We can do simple repair work over the forge but we have a smithy here on the ranch for bigger projects. He's actually away at the moment and will be back the day after tomorrow. "

 

"Oh. I see."

 

Yeah, but you don't really care, do you, Heath thought. He always thought it a waste of time when people felt they had to fill every moment with talking. It was yet another adjustment he'd had to make when he'd come to live with his family. Sometimes he wondered if they ever shut up at all. By virtue of the strong personalities he lived with, the Barkley home's exuberantly high noise level often made him shake his head and count to ten.

 

Of course, he was getting to a point of comfort where his own noise was being added to the mix, too.

Right now, though, he wished this new relative would just go away and let him finish his work, and not make polite small talk over things she had not one mite of real interest in.

 

Heath wished it had been his mother who had brought out refreshment, or even Audra. Victoria very rarely said anything she didn't mean, and he didn't really mind his sister's chatter.

 

Well, at least she's not trying to apologize or something for Hiram and our first meeting today. Now that would be beyond embarrassing.

 

"Well, ah. Heath. I just wanted to tell you I look forward to getting to know you better. You seem a nice young man. "

 

"Thank you, Ma'am."

 

"And, I also wanted to tell you how dreadfully sorry I am for what Hiram said. I apologize on his behalf. He sometimes talks without thinking, not realizing the effect words can have. Victoria has told me how very fond of you she is. She wants you accepted as hers, as odd as that might be, and that's entirely up to her."

 

Sigh….

 

"He doesn't talk much, does he?" Nick intoned from behind him. "Take my word for it, though, he does put in a good day's work. We're almost finished here and will be in shortly. Would you excuse us? Can't let the forge get too hot."

 

"Oh, oh, of course. Please don't let me keep you. Well, good night then. See you in the morning."

 

"Good night", Nick answered and Heath added, "Thank you again for the lemonade.".

 

Lilibeth glanced at Heath one more time, offered a nervous smile, and exited the barn.

 

"Well, come on, you nice young man, you", Nick pitched his voice in a feminine falsetto, "I'd like to get this done sometime tonight, while I'm still young. Let's get a move on, shall we?"

 

"Too late, brother", Heath answered, and swung his hammer so hard it bounced out of his hand and cartwheeled to the barn floor with a thud.

 

Even so, he couldn't help but smirk as Nick's teasing laughter echoed in the barn. That was Nick—annoying and bull headed and loud and bossy one minute, and making him laugh the next.

He sighed again as he retrieved his hammer. Maybe Mother wouldn't notice if he slept in the barn tonight…

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Breakfast on the first full day of their visitors' stay, and Heath had already had to smoothly wrest a pitcher of orange juice from Nick's grasp when his glare at Hiram and the open temptation on his face began to obviously telegraph his intent. He'd expected Mother to show more displeasure at Nick's near juice-throwing, but she'd only shaken her head and attempted to distract her sister by engaging her, along with Audra, in recipe swapping. Mother may have been slightly sympathetic to the cause in this case anyway; Hiram's question about why the Barkley boys were still single and living with their mother when they were all so wealthy and handsome, was a touchy subject for all. The Barkley men, while not exactly past their prime in life, had loved and lost too many times to find Hiram's implication in the least bit innocent or humorous.

 

Jarrod had made his escape to the office quickly after that, giving Nick a look that strongly suggested he behave himself with the relatives, for their mother's sake if for no one else's. Nick rolled his eyes right back at his eldest brother and cheerfully suggested, "Why not play hookey from the office for one day, Pappy, and join us in showing Uncle and Aunt what we've accomplished around the place?"

 

Oh, Jarrod was going to get him for that.

 

As usual, Heath kept his mouth shut through the entire exchange, and it was their mother who urged him off to town. He'd gratefully kissed her goodbye, barely resisting the urge to stick his tongue out at Nick, and left just as the rest of the family dispersed from the table to start their day.

 

I feel a little guilty about being able to get away…but only a little. What can happen, really, but Nick becoming more testy than usual…

 

He should have known better. By now, experience should have taught him to never, ever question, "What could happen…."

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

"Oh my goodness, oh my goodness!"

 

"Hiram, quit fluttering!"

 

"Oh! Oh, he's squirting blood! Too much blood, it's just nasty. Oh, I hope he doesn't die. Well, it's not my fault! Oh my, I feel faint."

 

The scene playing before Heath, Nick and their mother might have been comical had Nick not been bleeding like a stuck pig from a head wound. Hiram Collins, all 5 foot 6 inches of bowtied, bespectacled, balding, skinny, whiney, dandy-suited inch of him, was wringing his hands and occasionally flapping them, birdlike, in consternation at what had transpired moments ago. The three Barkleys, along with Lilibeth , were in the kitchen with Hiram now, where Heath had just brought his bleeding brother from the barn for their mother's tending. Heath had also told one of the hands to fetch the doctor, though Heath wasn't certain he'd been heard over all the fussin' and squawking poor Uncle Hiram was doing. He'd accidentally pulled an entire rack of branding irons that had been stored in a rack in the barn, down onto Nick's head. He'd just wanted to see them, to demonstrate to the boys that he really did know a thing or two about ranching, because after all, he'd read all about it. But the irons had been far heavier than he'd expected, and Nick had started yelling at him not to touch them, as Nick yelled about anything, and that had distracted him, and the next thing he knew, there was such a terrible and loud crashing noise, and then Nick was on his hands and knees on the barn floor, bleeding profusely from a scalp wound and bellowing obscenities, until his half brother pressed a bandanna to his head, gathered him up and took him in to Victoria. Nicholas shouldn't have done that, shouldn't have startled Hiram so. That temper of his was just frighteningly out of control, and was going to get him into trouble one day. He would have expected his sister in law and her husband to have disciplined that fiery volatility out of him and instill some manner of decorum, but his wife's nephew was so hot under the collar that Hiram knew there was no reasoning with him.

 

"Oh my, this is just terrible and I'm so sorry you were hurt, Nick, but you've got to stop yelling. This is what happens when you give in to your impulses like this and don't exercise calm, sound judgment."

 

"Don't exercise….! Listen, you little…" Despite the blood that spurted from a gash on the back of his head every time Heath or his mother moved the cloths they were applying pressure with, and the enormous headache, and the blood on his clothes, the floor, Heath, his mother, the path from the barn to the kitchen, and the little weasel that was his uncle, Nick started to rise from his seated position. He may be nearly out cold because of the idiocy of this guy, but he could still show him some "sound judgment", that was for damn sure.

"Nick! Nick, sit down. We need to get this bleeding under control. Hiram, why don't you go ahead outside and wait for the doctor, would you?"

 

"Well, if you insist, Victoria. Really, though, you do need to counsel that boy on self control so that accidents like this don't occur again in the future. Come, darling. I will need help in getting these blood stains out of my silk clothing. There certainly is a lot of blood."

 

Lilibeth exited with her husband, giving Victoria a half-wry, half apologetic look.

 

"Alone at last", Nick muttered, earning himself a baleful glare from his mother.

 

"Hey, what was that for? I'm the one who just got branded on the head and am getting an unplanned change in hair color. Nearly knocked me out cold, too."

 

"Well, too bad it wasn't enough to knock some sense into you." This from Heath. Nick could always count on his dear brother to NOT back him up.

 

"I thought I was doing pretty well. I haven't punched the wimp yet."

 

Heath snickered.

 

"Quiet, both of you!" Victoria made an impatient, annoyed sound. As injuries and accidents on the Barkley ranch went, particularly where her sons were concerned, Nick's latest was relatively mild. He was going to need stitches and would probably have a headache worse than a hangover for a few days, but he'd be all right. The truth was that Victoria was just about at the end of her patience with this visit from Lilibeth and Hiram. Her brother in law seemed to become more and more unlikable as he got older, and Nick just wasn't able to be insincere, even if he was trying to be polite for his mother's sake. 

 

She was at her wit's end, and the rest of the family, even Audra, were making themselves scarce, leaving her alone most of the time with their houseguests. She would have liked to have had some quiet time alone with the sister she saw so rarely, but Hiram apparently didn't understand the concept of women talk and hovered around his wife constantly, with running complaints of allergies and loud, honking, nose blowing punctuating his every word. It was exhausting, and exasperating, and her own brood was no help whatsoever.

 

"Heath, take your brother upstairs and get him in bed, and get the both of you out of those blood stained clothes. The doctor will probably have to give him ether to stitch this. I'll walk behind you and hold the cloth to keep pressure on the wound."

.

Heath nodded his acquiescence and slung one of Nick's arms over his shoulder while wrapping the other around his waist, guiding Nick up the stairs. He was sure the fact that Nick hadn't grumbled about being helped, and was leaning most of his weight on him, wasn't lost on their mother. She didn't miss things like that.

 

Victoria sighed as they made their way up the stairs in an odd, synchronized, 3-person shuffle. Just another typical day.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Jarrod had returned home from his office in town with the doctor to check on his brother, after being informed of Nick's mishap by the ranch hand that had been sent to summon aid.

 

Victoria had been right, the doctor had put Nick out with ether to close the wound. He'd given half-hearted protest about not needing it and about being head-sewn once before without being put to sleep, and after all, shouldn't he stay awake with a head wound? Doctor Meher, a veteran of treating all the trauma-prone Barkley brothers on an alarmingly frequent basis, had pointedly asked Nick when he'd earned his medical degree, and then informed Nick that he was reasonably sure he wasn't concussed. Somehow, though, Jarrod suspected his outspoken brother had been glad for the relief from pain the ether gave him, despite the obligatory protests to the contrary.

 

Upon Nick's wakening, Jarrod and Heath took turns holding his head over the basin when he vomited , and then helped him sip water to rinse his mouth, mopped his face and settled him back in his bed.

If nothing else, Nick remarked to his brothers, he was happy about not having to stare at Hiram's beady little eyes across the dinner table for one night.

 

By dinner time, Nick was feeling up to having a few sips of broth and some dry toast, but then waved away the tray that had been brought for him. His stomach wasn't reacting well at all. He was irritable when his mother put a hand on his face to check his temperature and grouchy when Audra tried to straighten his pillows and sheets. He always did turn a tad more ornery, even more so than usual, when physical weakness or injury stole any of his strength or freedom, and he wasn't one much for being mollycoddled either.

 

Eventually, Jarrod and Heath convinced the women to go back downstairs to entertain their guests while they engaged their brother in a poker game. They both lit cigars, and while Nick's stomach wasn't up for a stogie of his own , it wasn't long before he was amicably losing at poker and chuckling in conversation with his brothers, contentedly distracted from his headache and queasy stomach. 

 

And then there was a knock on the door.

 

Nick's face suddenly looked like someone had stolen his horse, his hat and his dessert.

 

"Well, hello there! Just thought I'd check on the dear injured boy. How's the patient, hmm, Nicky?"

 

"Don't call me Nicky", the patient warned through gritted teeth.

 

That giggle again. It made Heath wince.

 

"Well, I guess you're fine if that famous temper is still in place. I'm so glad you're all right. You certainly gave me quite a stir. There was so much blood."

 

"Yes, well, head wounds do bleed.", Jarrod offered.

 

"This one sure did", Heath added.

 

Nick just growled.

 

"Well, since you're obviously just fine, except for that funny little bald spot there now where they cut your hair away, and my goodness, now you look like me and my thinning hair line, I thought I would join you in whatever game you're playing, the Barkley men all together in competition. What do you say?"

Without waiting for an answer, and apparently missing the deep scowl on Nick's face and the not-so-thrilled expressions of his brothers, Hiram picked up the one remaining chair in the room and scooted it close to where Nick was propped on the bed with pillows.

 

"I believe the phrase is, 'Deal me in, Gentlemen!' Oh gracious me, this is exciting. I don't get invited into many poker games. Now, what should I give first for the first bid….how is this done? Oh, help me, I don't know all the rules, you'll have to spot me…" The giggle sounded again. "Isn't this fun, this male bonding business I've been doing a great deal of reading about recently. Let me tell you about it…."

 

And so it was, only 20 minutes later, when Hiram ran shrieking down the backstairs that Nick was spewing and that some of it had gotten on him, that Nick's brothers wondered if Nick had made himself vomit again in order to get some peace and quiet.

 

Of course, this was only after Nick collected the 200 he'd won from him on his first hand.

 

Victoria and Audra had hiked their skirts and rushed up the stairs, hearts in their throats, thinking that Nick had somehow fallen or that his wound had re-opened or he'd had a rupture of some kind, only to find Jarrod calmly stripping his bed and re-making it with fresh sheets while Heath helped Nick into a clean shirt. He was fine. His face was ashen and he was muttering something about the smell of Hiram's aftershave making him sick, but he was not much worse for wear. And Victoria could swear he was even smirking a little.

 

She sighed-she seemed to be doing a lot of that lately- and sent Audra to ask Silas for some tea to help settle Nick's stomach, but by the time it was brought, he'd reminded her that he hated tea, didn't want it and stubbornly refused to drink it. And then her middle son had repeated that he was just fine and ready to go to sleep for the night.

 

She intercepted both Hiram and Lilibeth in the hall, and quickly reassured them that Nick was fine, and it had just been a long day everyone was ready to be over with. She even convinced a freshly suited Hiram—the man had brought more changes of clothes than Lilibeth—that the poker game had broken up for the night and that Nick had retired for the evening. No need to offer assistance, thank you.

 

You owe me one, my conniving son, Victoria thought evilly.

 

She also managed to escape hostess duty for that night, claiming exhaustion and the fact that she'd be taking her turn checking on Nick during the night and volunteering Audra for a game of hearts. She'd shot daggers at her mother with her eyes, but had obediently gone back down stairs with Hiram and Lilibeth. It'll help you build character, dear.

 

Wearily, she made her way to her own room and shut the door. Alone at last, doesn't even begin to cover it…

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

"Mother? Mother, are you all right?"

 

Victoria turned from the window of her son Nick's room to see him propped on one elbow in his bed, looking at her intently. There was no light in the room, only the lamplights that shone dimly in the ranchyard and from moonbeams finding their way through the window pane and into the huge room that was Nick's bedroom illuminated them.

"I'm fine, honey. Go back to sleep."

 

Nick didn't lay back down. Instead, he cocked his head for a moment, studying her intently in the dim light. When she turned back to the window, effectively shielding her face from him, she heard the rustle of the bed clothes as he got out of bed and wrapped his arms around her, gently pulling her to him in an embrace, resting his chin atop her head.

 

"Tell me this contemplation of the window glass isn't worry about me. You know that I'm fine, don't you?"

 

"Of course, Son. You're far too stubborn to not be all right."

 

A chuff of air, half laugh and half indignation, was Nick's response to that.

 

"What, then? It doesn't take a genius to figure out that you're troubled. What is it? Are you upset because of your boys' lack of manners with the houseguests?"

 

Now it was Victoria's turn to be indignant. She lightly slapped his shoulder and answered, "Well you could stop disappearing, all of you, you know, and be a little nicer."

 

"Nicer? Mother, this is me you're talking to, remember. This is as nice as I get."

 

"Mm-hmm.", Victoria rolled her eyes. Truth be told, for all his bluster, Nick could often be gentle and loving and caring and perceptive, as he was right now in his concern for her state of mind. There wasn't anyone on earth that loved with the same ferocity and protectiveness as Nicholas Barkley. While Jarrod and Heath reminded her so much of Tom physically, Nick inherited his looks from her side of the family. 

 

His personality, though…well, his personality was all Barkley.

 

She sat down in the winged-back chair by the window and Nick sat on the ottoman facing her. "I'm a little blue tonight, that's all. I came in here to check on you, but… I was thinking about my sister and I when we were children. We weren't very close because of the age difference. I was married and moved away from home with your father when she was 6. We never really bonded but have continued to make the effort because we're family. I care for her and want happiness for her, though. … I was just thinking about how my own children, despite their age differences, have managed to be so close. I'm grateful you have each other."

 

For one of the few times in his life, Nick didn't know what to say. He simply nodded his head, hoping to encourage her to continue.

 

"The truth is, that I'm finding that while I love her because she's my sister, and I remember what it felt like to hold her when she was born and have her look up to me. I care for her and wish her happiness, but I….I don't like her very much. And this has nothing to do with that idiot of a husband she married." She smiled widely at Nick when Nick snickered at her choice of words.

 

After a moment, Nick picked up the thread of their conversation again.

 

"Mother, you just don't know her, that's all."

 

"Well, that's part of it, but…You've heard the saying, 'Blood is thicker than water'? Well I've learned since Heath came to stay here that it's not always true. The reality is, I accepted Heath so quickly because it was so obvious whose son he was. I didn't have any choice in the matter, honestly. It was the right thing to do. But I came to love him not long after. I didn't have a choice in that either. I've spent a lot of time trying to understand why my relationship with Lilibeth is less than what I would like it to be…and not really even trying to understand why Heath has born his way into my heart so deeply. I don't mind why that is, you see. I love Heath because he's Heath, because of his honor and respect for me and all his ways, in the same way that I love all of you individually, not only because I bore you and raised you…."

 

Victoria's voice trailed off for a moment, and Nick heard her fighting tears. He was astonished to hear his mother speaking like this. It was so rare that she let her guard down so completely. He would forever cherish the rare insight he was being granted this night.

 

Lightly, he rubbed the back of her hand and then held it with both his own. She continued, "I would love you even if you were not my own. In the same way that I love Heath. I miss that, with my sister. Blood or no blood."

 

A long moment of silence past. When Nick was able to speak past the lump in his throat, he brought his mother's hand to his mouth and kissed it. "That you love Heath as your own makes all of us love you all the more."

 

One day…one day, I'll tell her how her example of love and acceptance of this new arrival allowed me to put aside my anger and hurt and blame at Father and give Heath a chance….and in doing so, gained a friend and partner and brother so dear to me that it scares me at times….

 

"Ol' dimwit Hiram was right about one thing: You are extraordinary."

 

"Heath is my own, dear. I dare anyone to claim otherwise."

 

Nick laughed. "Not if they know what's good for them!"

 

"Yes, well…speaking of what's good for you, my son, you need to get back to bed, and so do I. Have you forgotten your recent mishap?"

 

Nick groaned. "Ah….no."

 

Victoria kissed Nick's stubbled cheek and saw him back to his bed. The swish of her nightgown and robe may have obscured the sound of the slight click as the door to the room was eased shut by someone who had been listening on the other side.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

On the Barkley ranch, mornings came early. It wasn't unusual for Nick and Heath to be up and out of the house by 5:30 or 6:00AM. Jarrod usually left for his office by 7:00. Mother and Audra began their tasks in the house and gardens or their errands at about the same time.

 

Sundays, however, were a day of rest. Jarrod, Nick and Heath did only essential chores and tending of the animals, and the entire family then ate breakfast together at 7:00 before church services.

 

And so on this Sunday, when the family was awakened at 5:30AM by the sounds of noises on the stairs, it was not only a surprise but a curiosity as well.

 

In various stages of undress, five Barkleys exited their bedrooms and watched in silence as Hiram laboriously dragged, step by step, one of the heavy trunks he and Lilibeth had brought from Denver down the long, grand staircase that led to the mansion's foyer.

 

When the trunk joined the half or dozen or so small valises piled at the end of the stairs, Hiram started back up, panting and perspiring and trying to straighten his thin hair into it's usual slicked, part-and-cover.

 

"Well, this is just a shame, it truly is. You really shouldn't have said what you did, Victoria. Oh yes, I heard you. It's just shameful. My poor Lilibeth just cried and cried when I told her you care more for your husband's dalliance with some trollop than her. Your own flesh and blood. Have you no pride at all? My poor sweet wife…"

 

Behind her, Victoria sensed rather than saw Nick start forward. Hiram, facing him, must have seen him, because his eyes got wide and he looked like he was about to turn and flee back down the stairs like a jackrabbit. Without turning, she extended her arm and pointed at him. "Nick! Don't."

 

Heath shook off his brothers' and sister's comforting hands on his back and shoulders and went back in his room, shutting the door.

 

Audra cried.

 

Jarrod looked a question at his mother. She merely shook her head at him.

 

And so it was, amidst tears and raised voices, that Silas took Hiram and Lilibeth back to the train station only a few days after their arrival. Victoria had tried to apologize to her sister, to tell her that what Hiram had heard the night before might have lost something in the translation, but Lilibeth had been nearly hysterical, asking her what she was trying to prove with someone else's son and why hadn't she just given him land and paid him off and maintained some dignity, and that she was an embarrassment to the parents that had raised them both.

 

In the end, Victoria had cried and told her sister that she cared for her, and Lilibeth had ignored her and left.

 

Not even 8:00 yet, Nick thought, and we've already had ourselves a day.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

This Sunday, there were no Barkleys in church.

 

Sunday or no, Nick decided to get some work done. He'd already missed most of the day before because of his head wound. He wouldn't try anything strenuous, for now. Just something to occupy his hands, and hopefully clear his thoughts.

 

He wound up in the tack room, repairing whatever leather needed it, and cleaning his saddle. When his own was spotless, he started in on his mother's, and then Audra's. Not surprisingly, Heath joined him at some point. He didn't say a word to Nick, just accepted the cloth Nick held out to him and started to work on his own saddle.

This time, their silence wasn't awkward at all, but comforting.

 

Even so, Nick couldn't shake the sight of what he'd witnessed in the house in the early morning hours. It made him want to throw up again. He would never forget the crestfallen look on his mother's face as her sister had haughtily shaken off her pleas for understanding and forgiveness, nor his mother's tears.

 

The last time he'd seen Mother cry like that was at Father's grave.

 

That's it. The family will circle the wagons, as we always do with any perceived threat. Barkleys take care of their own.

 

Mother has always said, eavesdroppers never hear anything good about themselves.

 

From time to time, Nick glanced over at Heath, but his brother's face was grim and his eyes intent on his work.

 

Can't imagine what he must be thinking. He's probably wondering what he got himself into…either that, or that it's all his fault.

 

He hates it when he's the subject of arguments. If only he knew what Mother said to me last night…

 

At 10:00, Jarrod came to get them for brunch. They'd all missed breakfast, after all, but Silas had since returned and worked his magic in the kitchen.

 

Nick's stomach growled. It had been thoroughly emptied yesterday. Maybe a bit of food would do some good, and help stave off the lingering headache he was still feeling.

 

The meal was a quiet affair, one their mother did not attend. Audra and Jarrod had both tried to coax her to join them, to no avail. She had assured them that she was fine, and only wanted to be alone for awhile in her room.

 

Jarrod couldn't remember any other time Mother had made such a request, but he had put a hand on Audra's shoulder and gently bowed her out, respecting his lovely lady's wishes.

 

Surprisingly, Heath was the first to speak when their repast was finished and Silas had brought coffee for them in the parlor. "How is Mother? Is she all right?"

 

"Grieving, but she says she's fine", Jarrod answered.

 

"I guess it's better then if I talk to all of you first. I hated what happened this morning. Mother's heart was broken and its' not necessary. I'm thinking that maybe if I left for awhile, worked up north or maybe some of the holdings down Mexico way, it might give Mother and her sister time to mend things, to get used to the idea…of me."

 

Oh, you blind fool, Nick thought. I knew it….

 

"That's not a good idea at all, Heath. That's a very bad idea". Nick could barely keep his rapidly rising anger tamped down.

 

"I've just lost one member of my family. I'm not going to lose another in the same day", Victoria strode into the parlor, her silk dress swishing softly against her slender legs, her silver hair done up perfectly. Her eyes were a bit red, but her voice was strong and brooked no argument. Mother was back.

 

Apparently Heath hadn't been with the family long enough as of yet to recognize the tone. "I don't want your family pulled apart because of me, Mother. It killed me to see you cry today, and got me to thinking. I've been selfish, accepting the place of honor you gave me. It's humbling sometimes to hear how other people see it."

 

I don't believe this. If only he knew how much he's hurting her further at the idea of leaving….

I won't let him do this.

 

"Heath, you're not going anywhere. Ignorant, narrow minded people who can't see past their own prejudices aren't my concern."

 

You tell 'em, Mother, Nick silently cheered.

 

"But she's your family. Your sister. How can you not be concerned?"

 

"And what do you think you are, cabbage for dinner?"

 

You're just making her feel even worse, you stubborn mule.

 

"I'm…I'm the receiver of a beautiful lady's giving heart." Heath's voice cracked and his face colored. "I'm not worth this".

 

Enough is enough….

 

"How stupid can you be, Heath? I'm not letting you put Mother through this. What's done is done. You wanna ignore everything we've said and done to assure you know you're just as much a part of this family as any one of us, fine. But you walk out that door, don't bother coming back."

 

SLAP!

 

Victoria's hand seem to fly out of nowhere and connected soundly with Nick's cheek. His open-mouthed, stunned speechlessness and huge eyes might have been funny if his eyes didn't fill and for one terrible moment, everyone in the room feared he might cry.

 

Beside him, Heath jumped as if he himself had been slapped. Audra gasped. Jarrod's blue eyes were enormous with shock.

 

In almost a whisper, Heath choked out "Mother…don't. Don't hit Nick."

 

After a moment, Victoria took her middle son's head in her hands and kissed his forehead. He accepted it and drew a deep breath before drawing back and turning towards the fireplace mantle, the color in his face up.

 

The grandfather clock in the foyer ticked loudly.

 

"I'm sorry, Nicholas. It's been a very bad morning and I should not have done that. But there will be no telling anyone in this room that they can leave, ever again, do you understand me?" She waited for his curt nod before continuing, "And you, Heath. I am not going to hear anymore talk of you leaving. Your place is here, in this house, on this ranch. You have got to accept your place in this family isn't negotiable, not for anyone. Even if it makes you or anyone else uncomfortable. I should have been straightforward with our guests about that from the beginning, but I trusted you were secure enough that it wouldn't matter in the long run. Am I making myself clear?"

 

"I appreciate that, Mother, but they weren't guests. Lilibeth is your sister. Your family."

 

Jarrod spoke for the first time, "You're not hearing her, Heath. And apparently you haven't been hearing any of us either. But she's made her choice. She didn't want to have to make one, but Hiram forced her hand. The rest is up to you."

 

"That boy's got the sense of an earthworm", came the muttered comment from by the fireplace.

 

Audra smiled a little, her expression of grave distress easing a bit.

 

Another long silence, and then the clock in the hallway struck the noon hour.

 

Heath conceded the point with a slight nod of his head, though still bewildered by the turn of events and the disruption this week's meet and greet with the relatives had brought.

 

Victoria smiled slightly. "What you don't know, honey, is that my baby sister has always been one for drama. Believe me, she'll remember that we're sisters again, the next time she needs something. You'll see."

 

Heath just looked at her.

 

Victoria closed her eyes briefly, and he could almost see her compartmentalize the events of the past week and put them away.

 

How does she do that?

 

"Everyone, what are we all doing in the house on such a lovely Sunday? I'm going to have Silas pack us a basket, and we can all picnic up by the creek. It's time to put this past us. Come, Audra, let's go change our clothes. Nick, saddle the horses, would you."

 

"We just ate" Jarrod teased.

 

"You don't have to eat. I just feel like spending time with my family."

 

Such a tiny lady, so full of wisdom and strength. I would do anything for you, Mother, Heath thought, not for the first time.

 

And for my family.

 

~~~~End~~~~


End file.
